Didn't Notice
by Karen Hikari
Summary: He didn't notice when he'd grown fond of that girl. He didn't notice when he stared to trust her. Yes, there were many, many things that Nico hadn't noticed about his relationship with Hazel, but what he did notice was how grateful he was for having brought her back from the Asphodels.


**So! Hello! I'm right back!**

 **I should be studying phyisics because my final test will be on Monday but what is Karen doing? That's right! She's publishing a story!**

 **You see, I swear I tried to stop this from happening but... it didn't quite work. I'm also trying to leave Nico for a while because most of my recetly published stories seem to be about him but... that didn't quite work either. So I'm back to were I started.**

 **Just a short story that literally popped out of my mind on Thursday. I don't really know were it came from, but I'm reading The House of Hades and each time I see Nico and Hazel together I think that they are the cutest thing I've ever read about.**

 **Anyways, here it is!**

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 ** _Didn't Notice_**

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He didn't notice when he'd grown so fond of that girl.

He didn't notice when he stared to trust her. To really trust her. It just... kind of happened. It just felt okay, natural.

For example, Hazel had this certain liking for drawing her arms around him each time they saw each other and kissing him good–bye each and every time she said her farewell, even if they would see the other in a matter of hours.

He didn't notice when he started to hug her back, or to even await her with his arms already open.

He didn't notice when she started to win arguments without even trying. As soon as Hazel raised her golden eyes with something that was akin to a plea in the slightest, he would give in, surrendering into whatever it was that she was asking for.

Like for example, that night when she dragged him to the campfire.

She had stayed in Camp Half–Blood for a week, having gotten some sort of vacations from the Roman camp and bringing Frank with her.

She wanted to go to the campfire; Nico did not. He'd told her she could go on her own, arguing he wasn't even hungry, but she'd insisted, pointing out that all she really wanted was to be with him, and that he could still sit by her side and sip water or something.

It shouldn't have been hard to deny, Nico told himself. Others had tried the same thing before, and he'd always refused. Percy had tried, Jason had tried. Hell, even Chiron had, and he'd always been able to refuse.

Not so this time, he realized as he looked into her beautiful golden eyes that stared up at him pleadingly.

Was it that hard to make her happy?, he asked himself. No, no it wasn't. He just needed to go outside with her and sit next to his very own sister during a stupid campfire. How could he deny that simple happiness to this young girl that just so happened to be his sister?

And so he went outside, into the cheerful and happy atmosphere he had so effectively avoided until then.

Only then did he comprehend he'd done anything that Hazel ever asked him for if she stared into his eyes with that look in hers.

Hazel had become really powerful when it came to manipulating him into things he really didn't want to do, he told himself. But Hazel, of course, was completely oblivious to it.

He didn't realize he was actually enjoying the campfire with Hazel next to him either.

He didn't realize that suddenly it didn't feel awkward to smile at her, and he soon found himself cracking more and more tiny smiles until he finally let out a muffled laugh.

He didn't realize that he was actually answering her questions until she questioned about Mythomagic and he started rambling about random facts of the cards and figurines even though he had quit that stupid game years aback.

When dinner was over, he was really tempted to just turn around and go right back to his cabin, but once again, Hazel stopped him from doing so by shooting him a glare that he perfectly identified as one that said 'stay here'.

She gently took his hand under the table and squeezed it, silently promising to be with him and he, of course, had no other option than to stay with her.

It was then that Frank walked over to them, shifting his weight from one foot to the other awkwardly, as if Nico made him nervous –which was quite likely– but knew Hazel was not going to lose either of them and was resigned to keep up with him in favor of being with the daughter of Pluto. Hazel's smile hardly trembled at all.

She continued talking as if nothing had happened, curiously –and probably even deliberately– bringing Mythomagic up again.

He didn't notice when he started talking to Frank more freely, the son of Mars' previous wariness suddenly nonexistent.

He didn't notice when Hazel simply turned on her heels to meet with Piper, smiling brightly, her heart pounding and left him talking animatedly to the son of Mars for the very first time.

He didn't notice when he stopped to unconsciously comparing Hazel to Bianca each and every time she did or said something that even remotely resembled the daughter of Hades' ways.

On the other side, he _did_ notice how hurt he felt when Hazel finally confessed to him that Gaea had once told her that he had his very own selfish reasons to bring her back from death.

Still, she had immediately added that she was just telling him so he knew and didn't even think of considering it as true. She did not believe it, and she sounded so sure that the tight knot that had just formed inside Nico's chest immediately untied itself.

He _did_ notice the infinite trust in Hazel's eyes and voice. He _did_ notice how thankful he was to her for not distrusting him.

Either way, that had not stopped him from asking himself if he actually had selfish reasons for having brought Hazel back.

Maybe he did, he thought. He didn't think so, and he didn't thought that was it, but then again, he didn't really know why was it that the necessity of bringing her with him had been so imperative.

If that was the case, the obvious reason for it would be that he yearned for someone, that he longed for replacing Bianca and wanted someone to take her place.

What then?

Hazel and Bianca were likely complete opposites, and it was more than obvious that it would be impossible for Hazel to ever fill Bianca's role.

And yet, that knowledge didn't even feel bitter anymore. That thought wasn't capable of making his heart ache anymore.

Hazel was different from Bianca, sure, and the thought didn't matter any longer. It didn't make a difference in the relationship he had with the daughter of Pluto.

She was his sister, and that was all there was to be said.

Yes, there were many, many things that Nico hadn't noticed about his relationship with Hazel.

What he _did_ notice was how much he missed her when she went back to Camp Jupiter.

What he _did_ notice was how endearing he'd come to find her smile.

What he _did_ notice was how genuinely her eyes lightened when she saw him–and how soon enough his own eyes shined with eagerness each time he saw her.

What he _did_ notice was that he had slowly started to rely on her, to trust her and to let her see more of himself than he dared admit.

What he _did_ notice was how he was sure that he would have done simply anything to protect her.

What he _did_ notice was how grateful he was for having brought her back from the Asphodels.

What he _did_ notice was that he loved her, that he loved her in the same endearing way that Bianca had loved him so many years before.

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 **Thanks for reading! I know it's a bit repetitive and probably very predictable, but I simply liked the idea and, besides, the story practically wrote itself down while I tried to sleep.**

 **Please tell me your opinions in the comments!**

 **And... one more thing! This question has been bugging me for a while: who do you like better, Hazel or Bianca? Just random question. Personally, I like Hazel better, but I'm looking forward others' opinions!**

 **Good bye and thanks again!**


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